Modeling non-point source pollution from rice farming in the Thachin River Basin

With the worldwide intensification of agriculture, non-point source pollution of surface waters has become a pressing issue. Conventional river water quality models consider non-point sources as accumulated entries into the rivers and do not investigate into the processes generating the pollution at its source, thus preventing the determination of effective mitigation measures. The models require extensive data inputs, which is a deficiency in many developing and emerging countries with limited data availability. The current study applies a Material Flow Model as a complementary approach to quantify non-point source pollution from agricultural areas. Rice farming in the Thachin River Basin is presented as a case study, with a focus on nutrients. The total nitrogen and phosphorus flows from rice farming to the river system are quantified, the key parameters influencing these flows are determined and potential mitigation measures are discussed. The results show that rice contributes considerable nutrient loads to the Thachin River Basin. Scenario simulations demonstrate that a significant nutrient load reduction could be achieved by following the official recommendations for fertilizer application, thus confirming the local efforts to introduce best management practice. Our results underline the importance of non-point source pollution control in intensive agricultural areas, particularly of tropical lowland delta areas such as the Central Plains of Thailand. The specific benefit of applying a Material Flow Model in this context is that with limited data availability, one can reach an understanding of the system and gain a first overview over its key pollution problems. This can serve as supportive basis for determining consecutive in-depth research requirements.     

Confronting limitations: new solutions required for urban water management in Kunming City

Despite continuous investment and various efforts to control pollution, urban water environments are worsening in large parts of the developing world. In order to reveal potential constraints and limitations of current practices of urban water management and to stimulate proactive intervention, we conducted a material flow analysis of the urban water system in Kunming City. The results demonstrate that the current efficiency of wastewater treatment is only around 25% and the emission of total phosphorous from the city into its receiving water, Dianchi Lake, is more than 25 times higher than its estimated tolerance. With regard to the crisis of water quantity and quality, the goal of a sustainable urban water environment cannot be attained with the current problem-solving approach in the region due to the technical limitations of the conventional urban drainage and treatment systems. A set of strategies is therefore proposed. The urban drainage system in Zurich is used as a reference for a potential best-available technology for conventional urban water management (BAT) scenario in terms of its low combined frequency of sewer overflow.     

Prenatal counselling and diagnosis in progressively deforming osteogenesis imperfecta: A case of autosomal dominant transmission

A 21 -year-old woman with progressively deforming or type III osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) presented for prenatal counselling and diagnosis at 10 weeks' gestation. Family history was non-contributory. At 14.8 weeks' gestation, ultrasonographic examination revealed fetal skeletal hypomineralization, easily compressible fetal cranium, and thickened long bones, indicating that the fetus was also affected. Confirmation of the prenatal diagnosis of OI type III was made following a Caesarean section birth of a male infant with multiple skeletal deformities and blue sclerae implying, in this case, autosomal dominant inheritance.     

Statistical analysis of PM10 concentrations at different locations in Malaysia

Malaysia has experienced several haze events since the 1980s as a consequence of the transboundary movement of air pollutants emitted from forest fires and open burning activities. Hazy episodes can result from local activities and be categorized as "localized haze". General probability distributions (i.e., gamma and log-normal) were chosen to analyze the PM(10) concentrations data at two different types of locations in Malaysia: industrial (Johor Bahru and Nilai) and residential (Kota Kinabalu and Kuantan). These areas were chosen based on their frequently high PM(10) concentration readings. The best models representing the areas were chosen based on their performance indicator values. The best distributions provided the probability of exceedances and the return period between the actual and predicted concentrations based on the threshold limit given by the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines (24-h average of 150 μg/m(3)) for PM(10) concentrations. The short-term prediction for PM(10) exceedances in 14 days was obtained using the autoregressive model.     

Amniocentesis rate and the detection of down syndrome and other chromosomal anomalies in Israel

We investigated the contribution of different screening criteria to the prenatal detection of Down syndrome (DS) as well as other chromosomal anomalies in the Jewish population in Israel during 1990 and 1992. There was a significant decrease (P<0·03) in the incidence of DS live-births during 1992 (40:78 442) compared with 1990 (69:73 751) which paralleled a marked increase in total prenatal testing and in DS cases detected prenatally. Private laboratories, which perform amniocenteses mostly for women with a low risk of DS and without genetic counselling, had a significantly lower detection rate (1:917) compared with that of the genetic institutes, which following genetic counselling test both women ≥ 37 years of age (1:91) and women younger than 37 years (1:113). The detection of chromosomal anomalies other than DS was less affected by the reason for amniocentesis. Amniocentesis indicated by maternal serum marker screening of women younger than 37 years identified a greater number of chromosomal anomalies other than DS than amniocentesis based on age (≥37 years) alone (111:9604 versus 94:9810; P<0·06). Prenatal detection of DS is most effective when the indication for amniocentesis follows genetic counselling. The increasing use of maternal serum marker screening leads to a significant improvement in the positive detection rate of chromosomal anomalies other than DS in young women.     

Detection and enumeration of colonic mucosal cells in amniotic fluid using a colon epithelial-specific monoclonal antibody

Since its introduction, prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal and metabolic disorder by mid-trimester amniocentesis has relied upon the use of a mixture of fetal cells obtained from amniotic fluid. Little knowledge has been gained in the sorting of these cells for diagnosis of tissue-specific disorders. In an attempt to determine the contribution of fetal colonic mucosal cells to the overall amniocyte population, we used the colonic epithelial-specific monoclonal antibody (MC-Ab) 7E₁₂H₁₂, IgM isotype. Specimens of the small intestine, colon, buccal mucosa, kidney, urinary bladder, and umbilical cord were obtained from electively aborted normal fetuses of 12–28 weeks' gestation. All of these specimens were examined with 7E₁₂H₁₂ by the immunoperoxidase technique. The MC-Ab reacted with the colonic epithelial cells but not with any of the other tissues. In addition, 40 amniotic fluid samples obtained from women between 16 and 18 weeks of gestation, who underwent amniocentesis because of advanced maternal age, were tested using a fluorescent activated cell sorter. Among the amniotic fluid specimens examined, 18·4 ± 10·3 percent cells reacted with 7E₁₂H₁₂. Double immunofluorescence studies revealed that all Mc-Ab-stained cells contained secretory component, confirming that they were epithelial in origin. All fetuses whose amniotic fluid was analysed had normal karyotypes and amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprctein levels that were also normal. This study demonstrates that cell-specific Mc-Ab can be used to detect colon cells in the amniotic fluid and that colon cells contribute significant numbers in the mixture of amniotic fluid cells. This technique could be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of disorders in which the flow of amniotic fluid through the fetal intestine is impaired, such as cystic fibrosis, imperforate anus, Hirschsprung aganglionic megacolon, and intestinal atresia.     

Kinetic adsorption of application of carbon nanotubes for Pb（II） removal from aqueous solution

The capability of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to adsorb lead (Pb) in aqueous solution was investigated. Batch mode adsorption experiment was conducted to determine the effects of pH, agitation speed, CNTs dosage and contact time. The removal of Pb(II) was reach to maximum value 85% or 83% at pH 5 or 40 mg/L of CNTs, respectively. Higher correlation coefficients from Langmuir isotherm model indicates the strong adsorptions of Pb(II) on the surface of CNTs (adsorption capacity Xm = 102.04 mg/g). From this study, the results indicates that the highest percentage removal of Pb (96.03%) can be achieved at pH 5, 40 mg/L of CNTs, contact time 80 min, and agitation speed 50 r/min.     

Flooding: what is the impact on pregnancy and child health?

Floods are the most common type of natural disaster in both developed and developing countries and have led to extensive morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Worldwide, over the past 30 years, flooding has claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people and affected more than 2.8 billion others. The impact of flooding on health varies among populations and depends primarily on vulnerability and the kind of event experienced. It severely disrupts livelihoods and has a significant impact on the health of pregnant women and children. In addition, it may exacerbate a range of negative psychological and physiological child and reproductive health outcomes. Awareness‐raising, education, and the issuing of warnings appear to be key initiatives to mitigate or prevent flood morbidity and mortality, especially among people living in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Agencies responding to emergencies also need to be more cognisant of the dangers, specifically those engaged in healthcare, nutrition, and water safety programmes.